Chlamydia trachomatis proteomics

可用的衣原体基因组序列使得在全基因组规模上研究衣原体成为可能。例如，基因组序列的比较揭示了衣原体基因的功能与其他物种的同源性，并为衣原体的进化历史提供了信息。基因转录谱的全基因组分析已经将基因表达模式与生物反应相关联。然而，这些基于核酸序列的分析在充分理解衣原体蛋白的功能方面存在局限性。由于缺乏对衣原体的遗传操作，研究人员被迫在异源系统中开发功能驱动的全基因组筛选测定。虽然其中一些测定已经产生了有用的信息，但许多测定几乎没有成功。 为了补充上述鉴定衣原体蛋白功能的方法，我们 提出了一种功能蛋白质组学方法，其中全基因组蛋白质阵列分析将被开发用于鉴定人类衣原体感染过程中的保护性和致病性决定因素，并确定蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用对。此外，将产生用于表征内源性衣原体蛋白的表达水平/模式、半衰期、翻译后修饰、相互作用伴侣和细胞内定位的抗体。 这些拟议的研究将提供重要的信息，了解衣原体的致病机制，制定干预和预防策略，控制衣原体感染引起的疾病。

The available chlamydial genome sequences have made it possible to study chlamydia at the whole genome scale. For example, comparison of genome sequences have revealed functions of chlamydial genes with homologies to their counterparts in other species and provided information for chlamydial evolutionary history. Genome wide analyses of gene transcriptional profiles have correlated gene expression patterns with biological responses. However, these nucleic acid sequence-based analyses have limitations in fully understanding the functions of chlamydial proteins. Due to a lack of genetic manipulation for chlamydia, researchers are forced to develop function-driven genome wide screening assays in heterologous systems. While some of these assays have yielded useful information, many have met little success. To complement the above approaches for identifying functions of chlamydial proteins, we are proposing a functional proteomics approach, in which whole genome protein array assays will be developed for identifying protective and pathogenic determinants during human chlamydial infection and determining protein-protein interaction pairs. Furthermore, antibodies will be produced for characterizing endogenous chlamydial proteins for expression levels/patterns, half-life, post-translational modifications, interaction partners and intracellular localization. These proposed studies will provide essential information for understanding chlamydial pathogenic mechanisms and developing intervention and prevention strategies for controlling chlamydial infection-induced diseases.